The first Persians were made in 1986. Chihuly had been working on an eccentric group of brightly colored and unusually shaped objects. They seemed “archaeological,” like treasures excavated from the Ancient World. Since glass was first made in the Ancient Near East, “Persian” was a logical title for the series.

Persians have undulating forms that allude to desert winds as well as rich, exotic patterning that reflects a fusion of Eastern and Western cultural traditions.